November 2020
November is a time for food, family, and Thanksgiving. We finally got some outside Christmas lights up; Jet has been asking for them for at least three Christmases.
Here are the books I finished in November 2020 and my short reviews of them:
Fiction Books
The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander (The Chronicles of Prydain, Book 2)
In this adventure, Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper, and his friends attempt a brave raid against the evil enemy of their world. Led by Gwydion, Prince of Dôn, the party sets out to find and steal the Black Cauldron from Arawn (this feels a lot like an assault on Mordor). Arawn uses the Black Cauldron to create his deathless soldiers called the Cauldron Born. Taran finds himself in a prideful rivalry with Ellidyr Prince of Pen-Llarcau, goaded into foolish tussles at first, and in the end, is betrayed by the arrogant prince. Taran’s friends from the first book (Gurgi, Princess Eilonwy, Doli, and Fflewddur Fflam) all play parts in the adventure. Taran leads them to discover and win the Black Cauldron, and eventually to destroy it, though at grievous cost.
I recommend this book to those in need of an adventure and those in need of a good fellowship story.
(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by James Langton, 5:26)
I grabbed up this book hoping it would be a relief from some of the heavier stuff I have been reading lately. The Harry Potter books by the same author are some of the best audiobooks available, so I bought it on Audible and was not disappointed. The Ickabog is the story of a kingdom called Cornucopia, which is ruled by a King named Fred, and a monster called an Ickabog. This is also a story about lying, and how a cruel and evil Lord Spittleworth manages to unravel the fabric of the nation's stability and success through lies, manipulation, fear, and greed. It all starts when King Fred goes on a hunt to find and kill the Ickabog. On the hunt, the King finds the Ickabog in the mist, and his head soldier Major Beamish is accidentally shot and killed. Lord Spittleworth manipulates the situation (and the king), starting the lies and bullying. As the years go on, Lord Spittleworth uses more lies, blackmail, and a very foolish King Fred to create an Ickabog tax, an Ickabog Defense Brigade, and enough fear and terror to put the whole country out of sorts. The previously successful and prosperous country became a poverty-stricken, over-taxed, and fearful country. In the end, it takes the real Ickabog, and some brave children willing to fight for the truth to restore balance to the kingdom and out the tyrant and fool.
I recommend this book to those in need of a fable on telling the truth.
(Rated PG, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Stephen Fry 7:52)
The Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski (The Witcher Book 2)
I got to read this book one and a half times. I had it checked out from the library a couple of months ago, and it got taken away before I fished it, so I got back in line and finished it on round two. Thanks to Luke and Neale for the recommendations. The story is broken into several chunks or mini-stories that fit together to complete the story arc. The Witcher gets drawn on a dragon hunt, saves a mimic, almost battles a Sorcerer to the death, acts as a translator between a mermaid and a duke, and dodges his destiny. The sword of destiny has two edges, and The Witcher is one of them.
I recommend this book to monster fans.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, Audiobook read by Peter Kenny, 12:48)
Non-Fiction Books
First: What It Takes to Win by Rich Froning
I’ve been a fan of CrossFit for quite some time. I discovered it back in college when it was brand new. I have been able to watch a lot of the events described in this book first-hand. I’ve always been a fan of Rich Froning. He’s a great champion. He dominates, but never by belittling others. He wrote this book after winning the CrossFit games twice, but since then he’s won the Games Six more times (that’s 4 individual titles and 4 Teams titles). This book covers his youth and his development into the legend he is today. He describes his crucial failure in 2010 at the CrossFit Games where he finished second overall and was forced to reevaluate his priorities. This quote sums up the book: “People want to know what has enabled me to win back-to-back Games. The answer is simple: my faith.” After he failed in 2010, Rich reevaluated his priorities and motivations. By focusing on his faith, he was freed from a lot of the pressure to win. The Foreword of the book is written by Dave Castro - the head torture mind of the CrossFit games. His final lines seem prophetic and indeed have proven very true: “The next few years are going to bring more growth for the sport and more fame for Rich. He is a star, and his star is going to shine brighter and brighter. But Rich will stay the same: true to himself, true to his fans, true to his family, and true to his faith. Rich Froning is the most powerful Crossfit athlete I know.”
I recommend this book to anyone interested in CrossFit and anyone seeking a good example of living their beliefs with courage and integrity.
(Rated PG, Score 7/10, Paperback, 282p)
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
This is a book of war stories from the Vietnam War and some of the soldiers who fought in that war - some willingly, others like the author, very unwillingly. Like I said of the last war book I read, I don’t get it. I guess what I am learning is that I don’t understand war. The book starts as the title sounds- the author talks about the things the soldiers carried: their gear, their rations, their personal effects, their quirks, their fears, and their histories. I always seem to forget how heavy things are because I don’t have to carry everything I need for survival on my back. Soldiers in the field feel each ounce over the miles. The core of the book is the author telling his story about deciding to go to war after being drafted. Tim tells about how he ran away north, in a fog for several days, and was within moments of the Canadian shores and a possible escape from the war. The way he tells it is deeply personal and emotional. In the end, he went to war, against his beliefs, and this book is a way for him to sort out that experience.
I recommend this book to those interested in the Vietnam war.
(Rated R, Score 5/10, audiobook read by Bryan Cranston, 7:47)
Flight of Passage by Rinker Buck
Do you think you got away with some crazy stuff as a teenager? You may have, but this is the story of Rink (15 years old) and Kern (17 years old) who rebuild an old Piper Cub airplane over winter, and then fly it from New Jersey to the Pacific Ocean and California! The epic coast-to-coast trip took place back in the 1960s, and the brothers take advantage of Kennedy fever to charm the press and a nation with their story. Their father was an old barnstormer pilot, who taught them how to fly early. Their heroes were the stunt pilots that flew out of the little airports where they grew up. Their guides as they flew west were the old airport geezers who gave them weather advice, fixed the plane when it broke, and helped them fuel up along their way. As my friend Phil said, this book “is all the best parts of Indiana Jones and MacGyver.” A special thanks to my friend Randy for this book recommendation.
I recommend this book to airplane lovers, and anyone needing an adventure story.
(Rated PG-13 for language, Score 9/10, Paperback, 368p)
West with the Night by Beryl Markham
This is a fascinating set of stories from the life of the author who grew up in East Africa. Her writing style is smooth and witty. Beryl writes about encounters with death in an almost flippant way. I guess we are extra protected from death and danger here, where, in Kenya, you get to be close acquaintances with death and danger at a young age. Somehow, Beryl survived a baboon attack, a lion attack, a stallion attack, a career as a horse trainer, and a career as one of the first pilots in east Africa. She even managed to cheat death on the first-ever flight across the Atlantic Ocean from England to North America. Her description of an encounter with a bull elephant in the brush is also quite amazing. This is an amazing book that has made me long for some more danger and risk in my life. Thank you, Kate, for the stellar recommendation.
I recommend this book to adventurers, and airplane people, and animal lovers.
(Rated PG, Score 9/10, Audiobook and eBook (Whispersync is pretty cool), read brilliantly by Anna Fields)
Preview/Currently Reading-
Here are the books I am currently working through. Join me if you will:
Total Power (Mitch Rapp #19) by Vince Flynn
I track all the books I read in a database called Goodreads. You might find it helpful in managing your reading lists.
Final Thoughts-
I hope that you can take some time to read this winter. Add some books to your Christmas list. Pick something that interests you, or challenges you. If you can’t seem to get into a book, try a different one and come back to it later.
West with the Night was the best book I read this month.
Send me the names of your favorite elementary grade books.
Send me book recommendations for my Christmas list.
Stay warm.
Joshua